Thai News

Identification wristbands may be distributed to tourists in Thailand, the country's tourism minister says. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify tourists who get lost or into trouble.

When tourists check in to a hotel they will be given a wristband with a serial number that matches their ID and shows the contact details of the resort they are staying in, so that if they're out partying late and, for example, get drunk or lost, they can be easily assisted.

The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device but this has not yet been discussed in detail.

She said a buddy system , pairing tourists with a local minder at tourist destinations, was also being discussed.

Kobkarn admitted the wristband idea had already met some resistance:

Most people welcome the idea but some hotels are concerned that tourists may not want to wear the wristbands.

Limiting party hours on some of Thailand's islands and imposing restrictions over where beach parties could be held were also being considered, said Kobkarn.

The idea is unlikely to go down well with hoards of young backbackers who travel to Thailand each year.

The Immigration Bureau has approved a new regulation that allows tourists to extend their stay in the kingdom by a further 30 days, effective from Aug 29.

That will mean holidaymakers from 49 countries who enter Thailand under a 30-day visa exemption can extend their stay for a further 30 days by obtaining a 30 day extension from their local immigration office. Of course this concession is limited to a single extension.

The measure will appeal to foreign travellers who want to prolong their stay in Thailand and visit other Southeast Asian countries, Pol Col Vorarat said. The extension will cost 1,900 baht.

The bureau, however, tightened up visa extension regulations for foreigners who enroll to study Thai in private language schools outside of the official school system, as well as those working in a public charity/non-profit organisation or a foreign chamber of commerce. Those affected will be granted visa extensions of 90 days but for no more than one year.

Thailand's military junta has warned that it intends to enforce harsh measures regulating the advertising and promotion of alcohol, in a move that will affect thousands of businesses throughout the country.

Under the newly enforced rules all alcohol products must carry health warnings, sales are banned to anyone under the age of 20, and initiatives promoting alcohol -- such as happy hours, free ice and mixers, and the use of beer girls -- are banned.

No drinking is allowed after midnight in bars or restaurants, even though sales have ended; no alcohol logos are allowed on glasses, ashtrays and other paraphernalia; and bars will not be allowed to display posters or bottles -- even old ones -- featuring such logos.

Bar staff cannot wear T-shirts with alcohol logos, and it is illegal to promote events such as wine and beer tastings. Alcohol logos - or even images accepted as representative of brands, such as a deer head for Benmore or red stars for Heineken - are not allowed to be displayed in sponsorship or any kind of advertising or promotion.

Promoting alcohol through word of mouth is also illegal, so if a waiter is asked to recommend a particular brand of beer he would be breaking the law if he responds. All printed photographs of glasses or bottles in the media must have visible brands and logos blurred.

Fines range between 2,500 for non-cooperation with inspectors and 500,000 baht if beverage companies promote and advertise their alcohol illegally. There are also punishments of up to six months in jail for various offences.

Update: Not yet national

28th August 2014.

The new doesn't seem to have made any national newspapers so maybe this is an action local to Chiang Mai.

The Thai Immigration Bureau has been told to be flexible with visa runners , junta chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has said. In his weekly televised address yesterday, Prayuth said those going on visa runs can register with the bureau, which will then find a way to resolve the problem.

Prayuth admitted that this crackdown had considerably affected certain groups:

This is a problem that needs to be resolved, as it can lead to a shortage of English teachers and tour guides.

Thailand's Immigration department have introduced harsh penalties for tourists caught not carrying their passports.

Immigration Division spokesman Colonel Worawat Amornwiwat said that starting from August 29, foreigners who failed to produce their passports would be fined up to Bt20,000 and jailed for up to two years.

Due to the fear of the consequences should one's passport get lost or stolen, some expats carry alternative forms of photo ID. But these seem to now be disallowed. Pol.Col. Thanasak Vongluekiat, Superintendent of Prachuap Khirikhan and Phetchaburi Immigration confirmed the following to the ThaiVisa website:

1. By law, all tourists and expats nationwide are required to carry their original passports with them at all times. There is no exception to this. Failure to carry your original passport may result in a 2,000 THB fine. The reason behind this is that Immigration needs to keep track of overstayers and foreign criminals who may be staying illegally in the country.

2. The information provided at an Immigration meeting was unclear. The correct information, which has always been the case, is that no other forms of identification are acceptable. This includes any other form of photo ID, such as a Thai/foreign driving license or a photocopy of your passport.

3. Immigration does not provide any kind of stamp verification on a photocopy of a passport as announced at the meeting yesterday. Therefore, you are required to keep your original passport with you at all times as per point #1 above.

Immigration authorities will not let visa runners re-enter the country after August 12

Many foreigners who do regular visa runs in order to extend their stay in Thailand have less than a month before a crackdown by the authorities.

From August 13, tourists travelling on an entry stamp or a tourist visa will not be able to re-enter the country, regardless of their choice of transport. The Immigration Bureau has already instructed officials to deny entry to foreigners doing visa runs.

Visa runners are those who leave Thailand and return immediately for the purpose of extending their stay. By using 60-day tourist visas and 30-day visa exemptions, many foreigners can work illegally in language schools, or restaurants and other businesses. It is easier for some to get jobs this way, as some employers do not want to go through the complicated process of seeking work permits and like to avoid the expense if they can.

Now, those on a visa run who are allowed back in will find an O-I (Out-In) mark next to their latest stamp marking entry. From August 13, nobody with an O-I sign on their passport will be allowed to re-enter Thailand if they cannot produce a proper visa. This appears to mean that in fact one visa run will be allowed before the entry refusal kicks in.

Update: A longer visa exempt extension available at Thai immigration offices

1st August 2014. From pattayasecrets.com

The Immigration Bureau has announced that of August 29. 2014 you will be able to extend your visa exemption period whilst you're in Thailand by 30 days, instead of the current 7 days, giving a total visa-exemption stay of 60 days. The fee for extension of stay is 1,900 Baht (unchanged).

If you are traveling on visa-exempt or with a tourist visa, bring these documents for your extension:

1. Your onward flight ticket or eTicket out of Thailand within the 30 days
2. Minimum 10,000 Baht, or rather 20,000 Baht
3. Hotel booking confirmation - and if you have it, your itinerary
4. One photo, passport sized.
5. Application fee, 1,900 Baht